Light and Dark
by ThePolarExpressBeliever
Summary: A vengeful Varian breaks out of prison with the Stabbington Brothers and with means of destroying Rapunzel, but will the darkness in his heart destroy him, or will Rapunzel's light heal him? (((Tangled the Series)))


_**Light and Dark**_

She sat up straighter and looked at the painting in front of her. It was full of dark colors, except for one area: a streak of blue hair, coming down from the top of what it seemed to be a person's head. Varian. Rapunzel shudders at the sight of the painting. Suddenly, there's a knock on the door. "Come in." The door opened to reveal Cassandra. She's one of the castle guards/maids and Rapunzel's closest friend. Cassandra put her sword to the side and closed the door behind her.

"Hey, you OK, Raps?" Cassandra asked as she walked across from the door and sat next to Rapunzel. She looks at the painting that Rapunzel drew. "Is that…?" Rapunzel looks at her.

"Varian?" Rapunzel finished for her. "Yes, it is." Varian…the young Alchemist who kidnapped her mother and nearly tried to kill her. All because she didn't help him when he needed her.

"Why are you painting him anyway?" Cass asked. Rapunzel didn't respond, just looked at her, blankly. Cass blinked, thinking that she might've offended Rapunzel in some way or another. She goes to her and puts a hand on her shoulder. "Raps? You OK?" Rapunzel took a deep breath.

"There's something….wrong...interesting about Varian," Rapunzel said. She points to the blue streak in the painting's hair. "Do you see this?" Cass nods. "Well, I think it's like my..." she points to her hair. Her hair…the only thing that can help free Varian's father from the rocks.

"Are you telling me that he might be connected to the moon?!" Cassandra exclaimed. Rapunzel nods. "Unbelievable." Suddenly, a loud thud was heard; Cass ran out of the room to the sound of the noise. Rapunzel remained in her room with her pet chameleon, Pascal, on her shoulder. Cassandra treaded quickly and quietly up the stairs to the dungeons, sword in hand. She looked all around her, wary of her surroundings. She then saw a hole in the wall. "What the?" She whispered to herself. Inside the open wall, Varian was helping his pet raccoon, Rudiger, when he heard Cass's boots stomp on the floor. "STOP IT RIGHT THERE!" Varian's head snapped towards Cass. "Please, Varian. Stop." Tears were streaming down his face as he looked at her. She gently went to him. "I'm not gonna hurt you." His hair was completely blue, swaying in the cold wind. His eyes were now the same color as his hair. "Varian…easy…" Varian shook uncontrollably in fear as Rudiger; Cassandra put her sword down and Varian just looks at her. Rapunzel looked at the painting one last time and then ran upstairs to the dungeons. She made it up to the last set of dungeons in time to see Varian crying hard and his hair a different color, just like her painting. She went up to him slowly. "Varian?" he hears her voice and screamed in fear.

"D-Don't hurt me, please!" Varian held Rudiger close to his chest. Rudiger pressed himself close. At that moment, as Varian's hair shined brighter in the moonlight, Rapunzel's hair began to glow, too. The force of the bright light that came from both Rapunzel and Varian blinded Cassandra and threw her across the floor. Rapunzel ran to Cassandra. Cassandra shook her head in pain.

"Are you OK?" She asked. Cassandra nodded. Suddenly, Varian falls, but Rapunzel's long hair grabbed him in time before he hit the stone, cold floor. Cassandra and Varian looked at Rapunzel in shock. "I-I didn't even know I could d-do that." Varian's eyes glowed white and he laughed maniacally. Cassandra pushes Rapunzel behind her. Rapunzel's eyes widened in fear at the sight.

"I WILL GET MY REVENGE!" Just like that, gone. Rapunzel and Cassandra look at each other. Rapunzel and Cassandra look at each other, and then they hear a banging noise and run to see the dungeon doors that led to the Stabbington Brothers was wide open. "Are you kidding me?" Cassandra mumbled under her breath. "First Varian…now them." She grabbed her sword's hilt.

Rapunzel looked at the open door. "What now?" Cassandra looked around, then at Rapunzel.

"We call your dad?" Cassandra suggested. Rapunzel's eyes widened. "Ok…maybe not…"

"I…we could," Rapunzel said. "But do you know what my father might – could – do to him?!"

"Easy, Raps," Cassandra held her arm gently. "Breathe." Rapunzel took deep breaths. "That's it."

"What am I gonna do?" Rapunzel paced back and forth, tears welling up in her eyes. She was beginning to have a panic attack. Suddenly, a scream was heard, coming from the throne room. Queen Arianna let out a loud scream of fear as the Stabbington Brothers advanced towards her. King Fredric tried to protect his wife but was fatally stabbed in the side. Rapunzel and Cassandra heard the screams and ran to them. "MOM! DAD!" Rapunzel cried as she ran to her fallen father. Patchy looked at Sideburns as he brought his sword. "NO!" Arianna looked at her daughter. Cassandra got her sword and attacked Sideburns; she sliced at his sword, but his tall stature made it hard for her to fight him. She does a somersault, but he grabs her leg and shoves her against the wall, choking her; she hits his head hard and escapes. Suddenly, Varian appears.

"C'mon boys," Varian said. "Let's go." Sideburns held his bloody head and they go to Varian.

"NEVER EVER COME BACK HERE AGAIN!" Cassandra yelled as she ran to Queen Arianna.

King Fredric held his daughter tightly. "It's OK, Dad. You're gonna be fine, I promise." Rapunzel then proceeded to wrap her hair around her father's wound and sing her healing incantation. "_Flower, gleam and glow. Let your power shine, make the clock reverse. Bring back what once was mine. Heal what has been hurt. Change the Fates' design. Save what has been lost. Bring back what once was mine. What once was mine._" Her hair glowed as she sang and immediately, her father's wounds were gone. Fredric, Arianna, and Cassandra watched in awe.

Suddenly, Eugene bursts through the door. "Did I miss anything?!" Cassandra clenched her hand in a fist and was about ready to punch him, but Arianna held her back. Eugene jumped back. "OK, obviously, I did." He looks at the dungeon doors. "WHAT THE?!" he sees that the Stabbington Brothers were gone. He began to panic. Rapunzel went to him and held him close to her chest. "They're gone…how are they gone?!" Rapunzel raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Eugene, what's wrong?" Rapunzel asked, patting his back. He looked at her, his eyes bloodshot with tears. "Eugene?" he wiped his tears away and told her his story of how he met the brothers.

_**Meeting of the Stabbington Brothers**_

_**Snow and trees with no leaves surrounded the somewhat 17-year-old Eugene; he wasn't scared of being alone – he was used to being alone at this point – but what did scare him was the fact that there was no one around him…or was there? He turned around and pulled out his dagger out of his satchel. Out of the shadows appeared two tall men. Eugene backed away from them. "Who are you?" he called out, trying his best to be brave. The two brothers don't say anything, but walk up to Eugene, pinning him against a tree. Eugene's eyes went wide…**_

Eugene stopped mid story as he collapsed to his knees, curling up into a ball. Rapunzel knelt down by his side. "Eugene, look at me," Rapunzel said, wiping his tears away. He looks at her. "So, what's in it for us, kid?" asked Sideburns to Varian once they made it to his lair. "Money?"

Varian smiles cruelly. "I was thinking more along the lines of…revenge." The brothers smiled. That got their attention. "Think about it. We three capture the one person who is vain of our existence and force her to do anything we want." He pulls down a large sheet that covered Varian's frozen father. The brothers looked up in shock. "I've asked and begged Rapunzel to help free him, but every time, she's rejected. At one point, I even kidnap the queen all for the name of revenge, but that didn't work either. My reasoning is this: since Rapunzel was missing for 18 years, how about I make the King and Queen panic and keep Rapunzel prisoner, and break her until she gives in and does as I command?" The brothers thought for a moment and then nodded. It SEEMS right! It FEELS right! They could hurt the girl and even cut off her hair. Soon, the plan was made. "And, besides…without her magical hair, Rapunzel can't heal others or herself." Rapunzel froze in place when Eugene looked at her. She had never seen him cry before and it hurt her heart to see him like this. "Eugene…let's go rest." He looks at her. "You need it…"

"Stay by me?" Eugene asked, his voice quivering like a child. Rapunzel smiles warmly and nods.

"Of course, my heart thief," Rapunzel joked. Eugene smiled and she hugged him tightly. Cassandra and her parents smiled warmly and left the room. "Good night," Rapunzel called.

"Good night, Rapunzel," they said. Together, after Eugene pulled himself together again, he and Rapunzel go to bed. Eugene nuzzled against Rapunzel's shoulder. She smiled warmly up at him.

"I'm sorry, Rapunzel," Eugene mumbled. Rapunzel tugged at his hand. "I…I never cried in front of anyone ever…" she looks down. "You're not…embarrassed? I'm such an embarrassment…"

"No, you're not," Rapunzel replied, leaning against his chest. "You're just showing your emotions and you're not afraid to show them. I know how it feels to be forced not to cry."

Eugene looked at her in shock and confusion. He raised an eyebrow. "You…do…?" she nods.

"Yes," Rapunzel replied. "When I was with Gothel, I never cried. When she left, I did; I cried."

Around midnight, Rapunzel couldn't sleep, so she decided to walk around. As she walked, she stopped and looked out the window; she took a closer look and saw two figures behind her with a mask. She quickly turned around and pointed her frying pan at the intruders. "WHO ARE YOU?!" She cried out, making sure that everyone in the castle could hear her. The intruders just smiled and took out their swords, pointing them at her. Rapunzel recoiled, having second thoughts. They sneer and advance toward her, but because there was space between the two brothers, she ran right through them. "EUGENE! CASS! MOM! DAD!" she called out. The brothers looked at each other and grabbed Rapunzel; she screamed and kicked. "LET ME GO!" Sideburns rolled his eyes and knocked Rapunzel out. Her eyes went wide as the weapon struck her head. She falls to the ground unconscious. The brothers smirk and disappear into thin air. Screams were heard and the group wake up and run out to the hallway to see no one there. Eugene looked around and saw Rapunzel's frying pan on the floor. His eyes went wide with fear as he rushed to the king and queen. "SOMEONE'S TAKEN RAPUNZEL AWAY!" He cried.

"WOAH! WOAH! Eugene, calm down, please," Queen Arianna grabbed Eugene by the shoulders and calmed him down. Cassandra holds Rapunzel's frying pan and looks at Pascal.

"Who took her?" Cassandra asked him as he climbed on to her shoulder. He turned red.

"HOW IS A STUPID FROG GONNA HELP US, CASSANDRA?!" Eugene burst out in anger.

Queen Arianna and King Fredrick held him back. "Eugene, my boy. What's wrong with you?"

Eugene looked at him, tears streaming down his face. "I love her; they took her! The brothers!"

"The Stabbington Brothers and Varian," Queen Arianna said. They sit down. "Is there more?"

"More what?" Eugene asked, wiping his tears away. "Of my back story?" they nod. "O-OK…" Rapunzel, for a start, woke up with a throbbing headache. "E-Eugene?" a voice burst to laugh.

"EUGENE?!" The voice yelled, his voice echoing around the room. "HE'S NOT HERE!"

Rapunzel winced. "Varian?" she asked. Rudiger comes out of the shadows. "Rudiger?" Varian comes out with the raccoon in his arms. Rapunzel's eyes go wide as he gets closer; she notices that he had a small remote fob that was connected to her chains. She struggled out of her chains, but he presses the button and small electric shocks hit her body. She lets out a blood-curdling scream of pain. "W-What was that?" Varian laughed, but Rudiger backed away from it in fear. Suddenly, her eyes wander upwards at a tall statue that had a long blanket over it. "Is…that…?"

"My father," Varian said, coldly. "Yes, it is." He turns to her, sharply. "BRING HIM BACK! NOW!" Rapunzel shook her head in fear. "NO?!" he snaps his fingers and the brothers appear. Rapunzel screamed; Varian grinned. "Boys," the brothers smirk. "Teach the princess a lesson." After finishing his story, Eugene was huddled against a corner with Pascal on his shoulder. King Fredric and Queen Arianna look at each other and then at Cassandra, who was looking at Eugene, sadness in her eyes. She went to him and pulled him close to her chest like he was her younger brother. Eugene buried his head in her chest, crying harder. "We'll save her…promise."

By "lesson", Varian meant torture of excruciating pain with non-stop electric shocks. Rapunzel couldn't take it anymore and collapses to the ground in an unconscious heap where she dreamed.

_**Rapunzel's "Dream"**_

_**As Rapunzel and Varian looked up at the opening in the ceiling of the Old Corona crumbling castle, the sun and moon seemed to merge together like the Yin and Yang symbol. They tried to run, but Rapunzel's long hair and Varian's blue streak glowed brightly and tied them together with their hands behind their backs, with their backs against each other. Rapunzel's hair tied around her mouth and around Varian's eyes. They remained silent, as though they know what's going on. The rocks spike up all around them. Rapunzel shut her eyes tightly, tears streaming down her face. With Varian, he just gasped in fear. We all have a dark side is this a warning or...?**_

_**End of "Dream"**_

Once she awoke from her "dream state" Varian looked at her sternly. "So…" he waited, impatiently as though she knew what he wanted from her. He points to his father who was frozen in stone. "Did that dream of yours help change your mind about helping me? Or did it rebel against me more?" she looked down. Varian growled in anger and cracked his knuckles. As Eugene packed for his journey to save Rapunzel, his best friend, Lance, went to him. "You're not going anywhere without us," Lance smiled. Eugene raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I'm c-"

Suddenly, the room around him spun and he was alone, staring at his reflection with a painted crown in the rocks on top of his head. Eugene remained silent and looked at his reflection. "Look at yourself," Eugene said. "You're handsome. You're a king. And, you've got the best girl in the world. What more could you ask for?" His glare deepened though as he looked at the rock in front of him. Suddenly, it began to split into three pieces. Eugene jumped back. What on earth? He touches the broken rock. "You're not alone," said a voice. It was _his_ own voice. "Don't you see?" Eugene raised an eyebrow. "We all have a dark side." Suddenly, Eugene collapses to the ground unconscious. The room around him became normal again and Lance runs to his side. As she watched the waves break over the ocean floor, stone rocks surround Cassandra as she pulls out her sword. "Don't fight it," said a voice. Cassandra tightens her grip on the hilt of her sword. "You should know something," the voice continued. Cassandra looks at the rock in front of her, putting her sword back into its scabbard sheath. She stares at the rock, seeing her reflection in it. She raises an eyebrow. "We all have a..." as the voice continued talking, the rock shattered in three and Cassandra jumped back, pulling out her sword."Dark side…" The voice laughed maniacally. Cassandra fell back as the rocks disappeared. Her owl, named Owl, ironically, flew to her side. She looked back at the ocean but soon headed back to the castle.

"Let's get some sleep," Cassandra told Owl. He hooted in response. As they headed inside the castle, they saw Lance, the king, queen, and multiple servants surrounding an unconscious Eugene. Cass sighed softly. _Oh, no…please don't tell me that he had the same encounter like I did…_Cass thought to herself as she ran to the others. Lance looked as though he'd seen a ghost.

Rapunzel was in complete shock at what Varian had just done to her. "Don't you see, Rapunzel?" Varian gave a slight chuckle as he wiped his sweaty brow with a napkin. "If you don't help me, the more I have to hurt you." Rapunzel couldn't believe what Varian just said.

"Varian," Rapunzel said as she sat up in her chains. "I've tried before and it didn't work!" And she wasn't lying. She tried everything in her power, but it was to no avail. What else could she do? Suddenly, Varian's hair glowed blue and lit up all around him. "V-Varian?" he looks at her.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!" Varian roared out in anger. Rapunzel backed away from him.

"I-I didn't do anything!" Rapunzel cried over the rushing wind. "IT'S FROM THE MOON LIKE ME WITH THE SUN!" At this, the wind ceased and Varian collapsed. Rapunzel looked over at him, worryingly. "V-Varian?" he looks at her, crying. Suddenly, in a flash of light, the rocks that encased Varian's father broke, and he falls to the ground. Varian runs to his father.

"DAD!" Varian cried, running. Rapunzel smiles weakly before passing out. "RAPUNZEL!" "Lance?" Cassandra ran to him. "Are you OK?" he looks at her. "Did Eugene see his reflection?"

Lance nodded, but before he could respond, a bright light fills the room and the unconscious Eugene is lifted up in the air by a small cloud underneath him. Suddenly, in the small cloud, a person appears: it was Varian. "I am here to apologize." He moves to the side to reveal the unconscious Rapunzel with the Stabbington Brothers at her side, trying to help her. "And I understand if you want to punish me." Suddenly, a cloud lifts Rapunzel in the air and she and Eugene wake up at the same time. Rapunzel's wounds were all gone and she smiles at Varian.

"And you don't need to find us," came a voice. It was Varian's dad "We're coming to you." And, in that instant, they appear to them. In the cloud, Old Corona crumbles to the ground.

King Fredric and Queen Arianna see the Stabbington Brothers on their knees. They look at each other and then back at them. "Mom, dad," Rapunzel went to them. "Let them live. They deserve a second chance. We all do." Although they despised the brothers, Rapunzel was right: everyone, no matter how bad or evil deserves a second chance. Jesus, in the Bible, did say to love our enemies. They smile warmly and Rapunzel cracks a smile. "So…will you give them a chance?"

They nod. "Yes, we will." Rapunzel jumped into their arms, hugging them tightly. They smile and turn to Varian and the brothers who look up and smile. Varian's dad smiled and hugged his son's shoulder. Varian teared up when he felt his father's hand on his shoulder. He hugged his father, burying his face into his chest. "Varian," the king and queen said. He looks at them.

"Yes?" Varian went to them. They go down to his height and hug him tightly. He was taken aback but hugged them tightly. "I'm so sorry…I just…I…" they hold him close as he sobs.

"You are forgiven," Queen Arianna said. She looks up at the brothers. "You both are too." They knew that forgiveness was key, and they knew that they had been redeemed. We can always fight darkness with light. Our light shines the brightest when we are together. Love fights and heals.

_**The End**_

_**Kristina Haddad **_

_**2/18/19**_


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